Coastal Services Center

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has developed hundreds of valuable geospatial and tabular databases that support its diverse management objectives. Many of these databases have no documentation or metadata, even though they cost the Department and taxpayers of Maryland many millions of dollars to produce. Documentation, where it exists, is generally not consistent with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata. The lack of a comprehensive process for capturing the “institutional knowledge” associated with the creation of these data often results in the needless loss of their value to DNR and the public. Without standard-format, high quality metadata, users are often unaware that data exists or where it is located. They are also unsure of its accuracy, suitability for use, or fitness for use with other data. This is a significant issue since DNR management has approved (09/30/02) a public domain data distribution model for most of its data and will require adherence to the FGDC Metadata Content Standard. Good decision-making often rests on good data, and metadata provides information vital to understanding the appropriateness of the data being considered and the level of confidence with which to use the data. The goals achieved in this grant project were: 1) to create metadata for existing legacy databases, 2) to add that metadata to the clearinghouse node managed by Towson University, 3) to create a Web searchable interface to the metadata and make it available to staff and the public (including links to the data files), and 4) provide staff training in the creation, management, and use of metadata.

NOAA Coastal Center's Role

This was a grant project and NOAA did not have substantial involvement with the work.

Grantee Overview

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, is one of 18 principal departments of Maryland State Government. As an executive agency, DNR is headed by the Secretary of Natural Resources, who is appointed by, and reports directly to the Governor. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency which oversees the management and wise use of the living and natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The resources of the Maryland portion of the watershed include its state forests and parks, fisheries, wildlife and the recreation of citizens engaged in boating, fishing, hunting and other outdoor enjoyment of our natural resources. The DNR works to inspire citizens to enjoy and live in harmony with their environment today and in future generations.

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